Hertford County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Crisis · 82.9 | 19,453 people · 1st most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Hertford County, NC ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 82.9 — 32nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 1st of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hertford County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.0 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 81
Consumer Credit Distress 87.6
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 86.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Legal Distress 78.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Economic Vitality 45.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 95

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hertford County
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis —
Bertie County, NC 76.6 Serious -6.3
Northampton County, NC 75.4 Serious -7.6
Chowan County, NC 63.6 Elevated -19.4
Gates County, NC 58.3 Elevated -24.6
Southampton County, VA 57.4 Elevated -25.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hertford County
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis +0.2
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis -0.3
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis -0.3
Charlton County, GA 82.5 Crisis -0.4
St. Francis County, AR 83.3 Crisis +0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Hertford County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Hertford County

Find an Attorney

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-662-7407

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Hertford County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of North Carolina 1-866-219-5262
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy 704-376-1600
NC Equal Access to Justice Commission
Duke Law School Community Enterprise Clinic

Self-Help Resources

NC Courts Self-Help Resources — Foreclosure Official NC court system resources for foreclosure proceedings and borrower rights
NCHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and HAF information

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in North Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hertford County, North Carolina?

    Hertford County has a County Distress Index score of 82.9 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 32nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hertford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hertford County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hertford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hertford County (82.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bertie County, NC (76.6); Northampton County, NC (75.4); Chowan County, NC (63.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Crisis zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Hertford County's score of 82.9 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

  • What data sources power Hertford County's CDI score?

    Hertford County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Hertford County?

    Hertford County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 19,453 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.